Miriam Stevenson facts for kids
Miriam Jacqueline Stevenson (born July 4, 1933) is an American former actress, television host, model, and beauty queen. She became famous for winning the Miss Universe 1954 title. She was the very first American woman to win this international competition. Before becoming Miss Universe, she had already won the Miss USA 1954 title.
Before competing in Miss USA, Miriam Stevenson was crowned Miss South Carolina USA 1954. She also represented her home state, South Carolina, in the Miss America 1954 pageant after winning Miss South Carolina 1953. In the Miss America competition, she placed in the top ten.
Quick facts for kids
Miriam Stevenson
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Stevenson in 1954
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| Born |
Miriam Jacqueline Stevenson
July 4, 1933 |
| Education | Lander University |
| Height | 1.68 m (5 ft 6 in) |
| Title | Miss South Carolina 1953 Miss South Carolina USA 1954 Miss Universe 1954 Miss USA 1954 |
| Spouse(s) | Donald Upton |
| Children | 2 |
| Beauty pageant titleholder | |
| Hair color | Brown |
| Eye color | Blue |
| Major competition(s) |
Miss South Carolina 1953 (Winner) Miss America 1954 (Top 10) Miss South Carolina USA 1954 (Winner) Miss USA 1954 (Winner) Miss Universe 1954 (Winner) |
Her Journey to Miss Universe
At the Miss Universe competition, Miriam Stevenson had a very close contest. She ended up with a tied score with Martha Rocha from Brazil. To decide the winner, the judges looked at who had the best physical shape. This was important because a big sponsor of the pageant was a swimwear company.
Winning the Crown
The judges decided that Miriam Stevenson had a "fitter" body shape, especially her hips, compared to Martha Rocha. Because of this, Miriam was crowned Miss Universe. The outgoing Miss Universe, Christiane Martel from France, placed the crown on Miriam's head. At the end of her year as Miss Universe, Miriam crowned Hillevi Rombin of Sweden as the new Miss Universe 1955.
Miriam Stevenson's win was a big moment for the United States in the world of beauty pageants. She showed that American women could compete and win on the global stage.
See also
In Spanish: Miriam Stevenson para niños
